Thursday, April 12, 2007

Updates on HB 855

I'm writing this one myself..

HB 855 would require citizens to identify themselves upon request by the police. Currently, you are supposed to produce an id card when asked to do so; however, police are not allowed to arrest you. HB 855 would have let them.

However, HB 855 was just voted down 23 (ayes) to 116 (nays).

Much was said about this: Rep. Coleman once refused to identify himself during a television interview and was told by a Houston County sheriff that he could be arrested; Rep. Dutton said that it could lead to the police going door to door asking for id; Rep. Dukes had a nephew who was arrested for driving a Corvette through East Austin.

Allegations of racially selective times that HB 855 would be used by the local police led to the defeat of the bill.